Over 5,000 Sarees Featuring Jagan Reddy's Party Label Seized In Andhra

The Election Commission on Thursday seized 5,472 sarees featuring the label of the ruling YSRCP, in Palnadu district, said a police official.

A flying squad of the Election Commission fortified by the local police swooped in on a warehouse in the industrial area here around 5:30 pm and broke it open to seize the sarees, the police official said.

"Acting on a tipoff, an Election Commission flying squad raided the godown (warehouse) with police in the industrial area. They found 5,472 sarees with YSRCP label worth Rs 33.6 lakh," the police official told PTI.

As many as 114 boxes containing 48 sarees each were confiscated. Every individual saree box featured an image of YSRCP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on top, the official said.

According to police, the warehouse is owned by Perumalla Gopal, who leased it to one Bavirisetty Venkata Subramaniam from Sattenapalle, a YSRCP leader.

Police are yet to make arrests in this case but said that Subramaniam is on the run. They are in the process of registering a case under IPC Sections 188 and 171 (E).

Excluding today's seizure, the Election Commission has seized cash, precious metals, narcotics and others worth Rs 176 crore since January 1 in the run-up to the simultaneous Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena on Thursday summoned the superintendents of police (SPs) of Prakasam, Palnadu and Nandyal to demand an explanation on recent alleged violent events in their districts.

The Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha polls for 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled on May 13 and the results will be declared on June 4.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)